Lauren AndrealaNew exhibits at the Rubell Museum in Southwest D.C. leave residents wanting to come back for more.
Elle Sullivan was amazed when she walked into a gallery showcasing artworks that used classical elements and collages to tell a story. It was a room full of new collages from a new featured artist at Rubell: English artist Thomas Houseago.
“It’s a really beautiful opportunity for us to acknowledge different perspectives within our own communities,” Sullivan said.
The Rubell Museum opened two new exhibits on Sept. 2 as part of the museum’s wide reinstallation.
One is the solo exhibition of collages by Houseago. The other features the work of 17 different artists entitled Friends, Lovers and Me: Recent Acquisitions.
Both exhibits will remain open until fall 2027.
The Rubell opened in December 2022 and is housed in an old public high school building.
Several visitors said they appreciate the different perspective and sense of community the museum offers them.
One first-time visitor, Mary Kate Lisa, said she heard about the new exhibits on Instagram and was excited to see what they looked like in person. She said that the galleries were bigger than she anticipated and loved seeing herself represented in the new exhibits.
Will Anderson is a frequent visitor to the Rubell and said he comes back every six-months to see what new exhibits it has to offer. He added that every time he comes back, he expects to be surprised and his mind to be challenged by art in different ways.
Anderson said the Friends, Lovers and Me exhibit including paintings of female nudes reminded him of traditional art with a twist and a different perspective. At times it was awkward to look at but he found it overall powerful, he said.
Another patron, Stephen King, said he visited Houseago’s three-stages canvas located in the basement. When visiting new museums, he said he walks around until he finds a piece emotionally connected with.
“It seems like a clock, and it’s simultaneously mechanical, durable, but fragile and precarious, and for whatever reason right now that one is stuck with me,” King said.
While the museum guests enjoyed the new exhibits, some gallery owners in D.C. had feedback on what they wish Rubell would do better.
Duane Gautier, the founder and curator for the Honfleur Gallery in Anacostia, said he wished the Rubell Museum would focus more on local artists’ work.
Gautier opened the Honfleur Gallery in 2007. He said he puts an emphasis on bringing all forms of art to his gallery, including spoken word poetry that brings the community together.
The Rubell Museum should be given credit for what they have accomplished, but the museum’s focus is on how to curate a larger tourist audience rather than one community, said Gautier.
The Rubell should have quality artwork that speaks to the local community, he said.
Satarra Leona, the founder of two local art galleries in the district, also said the museum does not promote local artists.
Leona started her career working with local artists and opened two art galleries on U Street and Dupont Circle in 2019. She closed the galleries after deciding to go back to school full time to study art administration at Jackson University.
When visiting Rubell, Leona said she loved every aspect of the museum, from the abstract art to the simplicity of the walls and floors. The only issue she had was how the museum was promoting local artists and she gave ideas on how she would promote her local artists, she said.
Reaching out to local magazines and using social media can help draw locals who will become the biggest supporters, said Leona. Another idea is partnering with local schools and universities to organize a field trip to the museum and plan themed events, she said.
The Rubell Museum declined to comment on this story.
The museum is located at 65 I St. SW in D.C. between the Waterfront and Navy Yard-Ball Park Metro stations. It is open Wednesdays through Sundays. For information on hours and fees, visit: https://rubellmuseum.org/dc/visit-dc
Ashayla Byrd
Kayden Anderson
Add comment